Obama acts on immigration, announcing decision to defer deportations of 4 million

President Obama sought to convince the American public Thursday that his plans to unilaterally change immigration laws were in line with the precedent set by previous administrations and did not amount to an amnesty program for illegal immigrants.

In a prime-time address from the White House, Obama argued that a mass deportation of the nation’s more than 11 million undocumented immigrants “would be both impossible and contrary to our character.”

Rather, the president said, his decision to defer deportations of 4 million immigrants is aimed at “actual threats to our security,” by allowing border control agents to focus on the highest-priority incursions, such as those by felons, gang members and recent border-crossers.

“Felons, not families,” Obama said of who would be in line for deportations. “Criminals, not children. Gang members, not a mom who’s working hard to provide for her kids.”

Under Obama’s plan, the undocumented parents of U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents who have lived in the country for at least five years can apply, starting in the spring, for relief from deportations for a period of three years. About 3.7 million immigrants are expected to qualify under the new guidelines.

The president also is expanding a 2012 program that has provided administrative relief to nearly 600,000 young people brought to the country illegally as children. Officials said that expansion, which will remove an age cap, could reach an additional 287,000 people.

The president’s speech, which lasted 15 minutes, was an effort to build public support and head off staunch opposition from congressional Republicans who have vowed to fight Obama’s use of executive actions to circumvent the legislative branch after an effort to pass a comprehensive immigration bill failed on Capitol Hill in 2013.   Read More 

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